Extra-alarm fire guts West Side building

August 03, 2013|Staff report

Firefighters were at the scene of 2-11 alarm fire at building housing a car wash and a salon in the Homan Square neighborhood this evening that has caused much of the one-story brick building to collapse. The fire began in a mechanic area of the one-story building at 3249 W. Harrison Street, when a broken light sparked on the floor and ignited spilled gasoline, according to the Chicago Fire Department's news office. Firefighters were called to the building a little after 7 p.m. (Carolyn Van Houten, Chicago Tribune)

Firefighters were at the scene this evening of a 2-11 alarm fire at a West Side building housing a car wash and a salon that caused much of the one-story brick building to collapse.

The fire began in a mechanical area of the one-story building at 3249 W. Harrison Street in the Homan Square neighborhood when a broken light sparked on the floor and ignited spilled gasoline, according to the Chicago Fire Department's news office. Firefighters were called to the building a little after 7 p.m.

Part of the building's roof had collapsed by about 7:45 p.m., according to the fire department. By about 7:55 p.m., part of the building's back wall had collapsed, and firefighters anticipated "total structure failure," the department's news office said in a Twitter message.

By about 8 p.m., fire command at the scene called a hazardous materials response because of the burning gasoline and natural gas at the site.

The building housed the Mr. Clean car wash and the Heavenly Visions hair salon and barber shop, according to the Chicago Fire Department and photos from the scene.

The fire was still burning about 9:45 p.m., though it was confined to the salon at the west end of the building, according to the fire department.